Chennai / Bhubaneswar: The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal would intensify into a cyclonic storm and cross the coast between Chennai and Ongole on Thursday night, the India Meteorological Department said here on Wednesday. Cyclone “Helen” would cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Kavali on the night of November 21, the IMD said. The deep depression over west-central Bay of Bengal would intensify into a cyclonic storm in the next few hours and to a severe cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours, it said.

Moving westnorthwestwards for some time and then westsouthwestwards, it would cross south Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu coasts between Chennai and Ongole close to Kavali around the night of November 21, the IMD said. IMD further warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with isolated extremely heavy rainfall over coastal Andhra Pradesh from Wednesday onwards.

Squally winds with speed of 55 to 65kmph gusting to 75kmph would prevail along and off north Andhra Pradesh and north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts, it said, adding sea conditions would be very high along and off Andhra Pradesh coast.

Odisha likely get rain :

Odisha is likely to experience rainfall and thundershower as an impact of the cyclonic storm Helen, presently situated around 520km south of Gopalpur. “The system would further intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours. It would move west-north-westwards for sometime, then west-south-west ward and cross south Andhra Pradesh coast between Sriharikota and Ongole, close to Kavali around night of November 21, 2013,” a press release issued by the local MeT office said.

Though Cyclone Helen would have less impact in Odisha, some parts may expereince rain and thundershower, weatherman Sudarshan Mishra said. “Northeasterly surface wind speed 30 to 40kmph gusting to 50 kmph may prevail along and off south Odisha coast,” he said, adding that fishermen of south Odisha coast are advised to be cautious while venturing into sea. Distant warning signal number two has been hoisted at Paradip and Gopalpur ports, official sources said.